Harry Belafonte rose to fame in the 1950s as a singer, actor and civil rights activist — read more
Harry Belafonte died on Tuesday, April 25. He was 96.
The legendary singer and actor’s death was caused by congestive heart failure, his representative Ken Sunshine told The New York Times.
The New York native rose to fame in the 1950s with Caribbean-influenced singles like “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” and “Jamaica Farewell.” His album Calypso was one of the first by a solo artist to go platinum, selling over 1 million copies. While known for calypso music, Belafonte also impressed audiences with blues, folk songs and American standards.
As he was launching his music career, he was also acting in films.
